Bullying Can Ruin Childrens Lives

It is heartbreaking to see childrens lives ruined by the behavior of other kids, whose parents and teachers not to care. When we were kids, bullying was confined to a classroom r schoolyard. Nowadays, bullying is worldwide, and has intensified in meanness and manipulation. Fat, thin, short, tall, ugly, too pretty, quiet, braces, wrong clothes, wrong accent, gay, nerdy, dumb, poor, too rich. No one is safe from bullying. Forms of Bullying Bullying comes in many formsname- calling, teasing, threats, shunning, social exclusion, spreading malicious gossip, withdrawal of friendship, etc. bullying tends to peak in middle school and early high school, when peers become more and more important for the adolescents, who turn to peers to establish their identity, and for assurance and comfort. Children who bully need to feel power and in control; they seek attention and equate fear with respect. Bullies get satisfaction from inflicting pain or hurting others, showing little sympathy or empathy for others because they hold a positive view of aggression. Emotionally immature, they have trouble following rules. They are actually wimps who lack social skills. Not too long ago, bullying was thought to be mostly a boy problem. Nowadays, it has become a serious girl issue. Female bullying is more relational than physical- hence more insidious. Female bullies use nasty words, dismissive glances, and involve starting or spreading rumors or gossip. They send intimidating notes, threatening the victims with social exclusion. Girls play mean games- manipulating friendships or ganging up on someone. They use more sophisticated forms of bullying- usually steaming from jealousy. Interestingly, some bullies, are in fact, physically weaker than their victims. Witnessing Bullying Statistics show that three out of 10 students are either bullies or victims of bullying. How about the other 70 percent? They could be: Followers or henchmen who take active part in, though they do not start, the bullying. Or they are passive bullies who support bullying but do not participate. How many of these passive bullies do we harbor in school? Possible bullies like bullying but do not display open support while disengaged onlookers watch what happens. Possible defenders dislike bullying and defenders of the victim not only dislike bullying but would be courageous enough to help or try t help a victim.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 22, 2011 p. H1 & H3.